Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the High Court’s judgement in Harrison v Secretary of State for Justice & others, published on 31 July 2020, what plans they have to introduce legislation to recognise humanist marriages in England and Wales.
Answered by Lord Wolfson of Tredegar
The Law Commission is conducting a fundamental review of the law on how and where people can legally marry in England and Wales. As part of that review, the Government invited the Law Commission to make recommendations about how marriage by humanist and other non-religious belief organisations could be incorporated into a revised or new scheme for all marriages that is simple, fair and consistent.
The Commission launched its consultation on 3 September 2020 and this closed on 4 January 2021. The law on wedding ceremonies is a complex and important area of the law. The Commission considered it essential to conduct an extensive consultation with the wide range of interested groups and individuals who would be affected by reform.
The Commission expects to report to Government with its recommendations in the second half of this year. The Government will decide on provision for non-religious belief marriage, on the basis of the Law Commission's recommendations.
Feb. 10 2021
Source Page: The economics of biodiversity: the Dasgupta Review [Full report, Abridged version, Headline messages] (3 docs.)Found: Feasts to mark occasions of significance (birth, puberty, marriage, death, harvests, and the annual
Feb. 10 2021
Source Page: The economics of biodiversity: the Dasgupta Review [Full report, Abridged version, Headline messages] (3 docs.)Found: the purchase and delivery of goods cannot be synchronised (credit, insurance, wage labour); entering marriage
Feb. 02 2021
Source Page: Final Report - The Economics of Biodiversity: The Dasgupta ReviewFound: the purchase and delivery of goods cannot be synchronised (credit, insurance, wage labour); entering marriage
Feb. 02 2021
Source Page: Final Report - The Economics of Biodiversity: The Dasgupta ReviewFound: Feasts to mark occasions of significance (birth, puberty, marriage, death, harvests, and the annual
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to give humanist marriages legal recognition in England and Wales.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Government announced in June 2019 that the Law Commission will conduct a fundamental review of the law on how and where people can legally marry in England and Wales. As part of that review, the Government invited the Law Commission to make recommendations about how marriage by humanist and other non-religious belief organisations could be incorporated into a revised or new scheme for all marriages that is simple, fair and consistent. The Government will decide on provision on the basis of the Law Commission's recommendations.
The Law Commission published a consultation paper on 3 September 2020 as part of its review and will welcome responses from all.
Asked by: Lord Desai (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the High Court judgement in R (Harrison and others) v Secretary of State for Justice [2020] EWHC 2096 (Admin), what plans they have to extend legal recognition to humanist marriages, after the current Law Commission review of marriages concludes.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Government announced in June 2019 that the Law Commission will conduct a fundamental review of the law on how and where people can legally marry in England and Wales. As part of that review, the Government invited the Law Commission to make recommendations about how marriage by humanist and other non-religious belief organisations could be incorporated into a revised or new scheme for all marriages that is simple, fair and consistent.
The Commission initially delayed its publication of the consultation paper due to the Coronavirus pandemic, but the consultation launched on 3 September 2020 and will last until 3 December 2020. The law on wedding ceremonies is a complex and important area of the law. The Commission considered it essential to conduct a proper consultation with the wide range of interested groups and individuals who would be affected by reform. It did not feel that publishing during the initial period of public emergency would achieve this, particularly when weddings were being postponed.
The Commission expects to report to Government with its recommendations in the second half of next year. The Government will decide on provision on the basis of the Law Commission's recommendations.
Asked by: Crispin Blunt (Independent - Reigate)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of recognising Humanist Marriages in law following the 2014 Ministry of Justice review into marriages by non-religious belief organisations and the 2020 High Court ruling that a failure to recognise humanist marriages is discriminatory.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
The Government announced in June 2019 that the Law Commission will conduct a fundamental review of the law on how and where people can legally marry in England and Wales. As part of that review, the Government invited the Law Commission to make recommendations about how marriage by humanist and other non-religious belief organisations could be incorporated into a revised or new scheme for all marriages that is simple, fair and consistent. The Government will decide on provision on the basis of the Law Commission's recommendations.
The Law Commission published a consultation paper on 3 September 2020 as part of its review and will welcome responses from all.
Asked by: Crispin Blunt (Independent - Reigate)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the proposals from the Law Commission on Humanist Marriages, what steps he will take to recognise humanist marriages while a comprehensive reform of marriage law is undertaken.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
The Government announced in June 2019 that the Law Commission will conduct a fundamental review of the law on how and where people can legally marry in England and Wales. As part of that review, the Government invited the Law Commission to make recommendations about how marriage by humanist and other non-religious belief organisations could be incorporated into a revised or new scheme for all marriages that is simple, fair and consistent. The Government will decide on provision on the basis of the Law Commission's recommendations.
The Law Commission published a consultation paper on 3 September 2020 as part of its review and will welcome responses from all.
Asked by: Baroness Burt of Solihull (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to extend legal recognition to humanist marriages.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Government announced in June 2019 that the Law Commission will conduct a fundamental review of the law on how and where people can legally marry in England and Wales. As part of that review, the Government invited the Law Commission to make recommendations about how marriage by humanist and other non-religious belief organisations could be incorporated into a revised or new scheme for all marriages that is simple, fair and consistent. The Government will decide on provision on the basis of the Law Commission's recommendations.
The Law Commission has now published a consultation paper as part of its review and will welcome responses from all.